Obsidian Thirst
by Quesse Silme
Summary: Bella will stop at nothing to become a vampire. She pushes Edward too far one night, and regrets her decision.
1. Chapter 1: Never Enough

_Obsidian Thirst_

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, and so on…

**_Summary:_** _Bella will stop at nothing to become a vampire. She pushes Edward too far one night, and regrets her decision._

Her heart was beating erratically, and her breaths was coming in short gasps. No matter how many times Edward kissed her, Bella will never get used to the sensation. Her senses were being drowned in a tumult of emotions, rushing blood, and a distinct primitive need as his sweet breath washed over her. But the fleeting touch of his cold, granite lips against her own was never enough. Bella always thirsted for more, but Edward would always restrain her—and himself. They couldn't risk more than a few chaste kisses and innocent touches, for the fear that _someone_ will get hurt. However, Bella didn't care about the dangers anymore. She wanted to _feel_, and she yearned desperately for more than just a touch or a caress. That yearning was building up deep within the pits of her stomach, and it was growing into an immortal fire, raging wildly and out of control. Bella _needed_ Edward. She _wanted_ him.

oOoOo

Edward was feeling conflicted on many levels. Bella was making it harder for him to resist her. For every kiss that he would steal from her, she would always seize the opportunity to jump on him and ravish his mouth. As much as he wanted to explore the warm, cavernous depths of her delicate mouth, and taste the exquisite silkiness of her tongue, he was unable to. If he were to open his mouth to her, the paralysing and deadly venom lining his teeth would surely kill her. The depths of this implication hit him hard with a painful pang, and made him close his eyes as he tried to imagine life without Bella. The guilt tumbled upon him as he thought of being the one responsible for her death.

'_No. I can't do this. I will not **kill** her. I cannot become the monster that lives inside me._' Edward thought feverishly. He would never forgive himself if anything ever happened to Bella.

"Edward?" Bella questioned. He seemed to be lost in painful thoughts, as his brows furrowed and a dark grimace marred his beautiful features. Edward looked up, and took in a deep breath of the heady, floral scent that was unexplicately Bella. She was beautiful, in every sense of the word. He took in her womanly figure sitting comfortably on his black leather couch. She was wearing a light blue woolen sweater that fell off her shoulders gracefully, and that exposed an enormous amount of her pale neck and shoulders to his inviting golden eyes. His eyes caressed over the contours of her curves, down to her long pale smooth legs that were exposed from underneath a white sensible skirt that had a pretty flower pattern adorning the hem.

"Hmm?", answered Edward absentmindedly.

"You still haven't answered my question", Bella replied tersely. "When will you _change_ me?".

'_Damn'_, thought Edward. He thought the kiss would distract her, make her forget about the impossible request she was demanding of him. "Bella", started Edward. "The answer is no. Ask me to give you anything else, but this."

Bella was frustrated. There is nothing more that she can want than to become a vampire—to be with Edward forever. She will grow old, become wrinkled, ugly, and eventually die. But Edward will remain as an immortal beauty, and she knew that with time, his love for her will wane. Her mind was set, and resolute. Nothing will stop her from achieving her desires. She will do anything to be with Edward Cullen forever—even if it meant risking her life.

A/N: My first Bella/Edward fic. I know that this is definetely short, but I wanted to put something out there and get some feedback. So read and review!


	2. Chapter 2: Misunderstandings

Disclaimer: You know that I know that everyone knows that I don't own any of these characters!

Chapter 2:

_She will do anything to be with Edward Cullen forever—even if it meant risking her life._

Bella scooted closer to Edward on the black leather couch. She took his cold hard face between her hands and stared imploringly into his golden eyes.

"Anything?" asked Bella.

Edward felt a sense of foreboding, and replied, "Anything within reason, that is." Bella inched her face closer to Edward.

"Is this within reason?" Bella gently placed her lips upon Edward's, as she slowly climbed into his lap and straddled his hips. Edward sighed and closed his eyes. He placed his hands on her waist, as she began kissing every inch of his face. He felt a fluttering of lips on his eyelids, a peck on each of his cheeks, and a timid brush on his nose. Edward let himself get lost in a whirlwind of senses that was Bella, and felt himself lulled by the ever increasing rate of her heartbeat. But he was surprised when she slowly moved her gentle kisses along the line of his jaw, and nibbled his ear. _'This is new'_ Edward mused, as he unconsciously rubbed slow circles on the length of her waist. He felt the warmth of her breath heating up the inside of his ear, as she licked its shell with her wet tongue in a swirling motion. Suddenly, his ear felt a rush of cold air, as the warmth of her mouth disappeared from his ear, and reappeared on his neck, nipping, biting, licking. As her mouth was working hungrily on his neck, Edward tightened his hold on Bella's waist. It felt good. Edward wanted to suddenly latch his own mouth upon her soft neck, and feel the throbbing pulse of her heart under his lips and probe the pulse to a faster rhythm with his tongue. He leaned forward and grazed his lips on her jaw. Edward wanted to taste the sweet nectar of her blood, drink it, feel the hot wetness of it between his lips—and he suddenly froze. Edward's eyes had grown a shade darker, from the light gold to a deep brown; and his tongue was unknowingly tasting and teasing the skin on Bella's throat. His sharp teeth were glistening with poison and were poised, ready to strike, to tear into the tender flesh easily like ripping paper with his nails.

Meanwhile, Bella was unaware of the conflict before her—as she was preoccupied with the sensations that were assaulting her in so many different places. Her hands threaded through Edward's smooth bronze locks, and her eyes were closed with her lips parted in a small smile, as Edward's tongue worked wonders on her neck. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and she let out a happy sigh. Suddenly, her blissful world was tipped upside down when Edward grabbed her by the shoulders and wrenched her violently away from him. She landed on the wooden floor with a hard _thump_!

"What were you doing?" Edward hissed. "I almost—almost…" Edward groaned and lowered his head into his hands, while he turned away from Bella and shook his head. Bella looked up at Edward from her place on the floor in surprise, which quickly turned into anger. "I only wanted to be intimate with my _boyfriend_. I didn't realize that it can be hazardous to my health," she retorted.

Edward gave a dry chuckle, with his back still facing her. "Bella, anything that happens within this relationship _is_ hazardous to your health. Damn, the very definition of this relationship is hazardous!"

Bella stood up and brushed off the dust from the seat of her skirt. "If I knew that you didn't appreciate my affections, then I wouldn't have kissed you." Bella was hurt. When Edward pushed her away, she felt rejected. She hadn't anticipated that Edward would push her away, and refuse her affections for him. It caused a blow to her feminine pride. Little did she know that Edward _was_ affected by her—so much that he was afraid to face her and show her the bulge that was protruding proudly from the front of his trousers.

Edward was frustrated. He heard the hurt in her voice, but he didn't mean to hurt her. Gods, he wanted to do unimaginable and unmentionable things to her body because he was as much as a man as a vampire, but damnit, he was he trying to save her! He could have bitten her right there, and she would have finally gotten what she wanted. But he can't make her suffer. Although it's been about a century since Carlisle had turned him into a vampire, Edward couldn't forget the burning pain that plagued his body for the longest three days of his life. His flesh was on fire, and it felt as if hot burning knives were searing through his innards, slashing through his lungs and burning them into a crisp fire. He remembered screaming, to a point where he blacked out and stopped breathing altogether. But most of all, he remembered wishing for death; because the pain was too much to take that he wanted to die so badly. In an ironic sense, he did get his wish. After waking up from the tortuous pain, his body was cold, and his chest unmoving from the lack of breathing. Yet, he was still alive somehow. Someone he loves cannot be made to experience pain like that. Even if it meant making sacrifices to their relationship, Edward is determined make them in order to save Bella from pain and an eternal fate of running, hiding, and uncontrollable bloodlust. He wanted to save her from the eternal curse of the vampire.

"I suppose I should leave."

Edward turned his head around and saw Bella by the door of his room, her hand gripping the doorknob.

"Bella—don't. I'm sorry." Edward took two long strides, and stood before her. "I was surprised, and for a moment, I lost control over my instincts. I almost bit you." To emphasize the point, Edward gently took Bella's face in his cold hands, and turned her head towards his. However, she was staring dispassionately at the wooden floor.

"Then why didn't you?" Large doeful eyes stared passionately back up at him, brimming with unshed tears, willing him to change his mind.

"Because I love you." His eyes were a fierce gold again, while he willed her to understand.

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A/N: I know this is a bit short, and perhaps abrupt, but things were getting a bit hectic in school. The plot has yet to unravel, and I hope most of you are still interested to stick it out with me. Thanks to those who have reviewed, it really made my day!

On another note, I'm looking for a beta who's really familiar with the Twilight world. It's been awhile since I've read the book, so I've forgotten some crucial details—and I've yet to read _New Moon_. I can't seem to get my hands on a copy! Anyways, as always, don't forget to read and review!


	3. Chapter 3: The Stranger

Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N: Please note that this story is AU or pre-New Moon. Also, I'd like to thank my wonderful and amazing betas **Vixter** and **Twilighterin** for doing a smashing job on this chapter! Without them, this chapter would have been less than it could have been.

I'd also like to spread my love to all of the wonderful reviewers! Cookies for everyone! Now, without further ado, here's chapter 3!

**Last Chapter:**

Edward turned his head around and saw Bella by the door of his room, her hand gripping the doorknob.

"Bella—don't. I'm sorry." Edward took two long strides, and stood before her. "I was surprised, and for a moment, I lost control over my instincts. I almost bit you." To emphasize the point, Edward gently took Bella's face in his cold hands, and turned her head towards his. However, she was staring dispassionately at the wooden floor.

"Then why didn't you?" Large doleful eyes stared passionately back up at him, brimming with unshed tears, willing him to change his mind.

"Because I love you." His eyes were a fierce gold again, while he willed her to understand.

**Chapter 3:**

It was raining in Forks again. Bella was staring morosely out of a glass pane window, watching the yellow dandelions wilt from the weight of the raindrops. She sighed and rested her chin on her right hand, while the fingers of her left were drumming a dull beat against the rough surface of the cash registry table.

Summertime in Forks sometimes seem dreary compared to the hot summers in Phoenix. Bella let out a weary sigh and switched hands, her right hand now drumming the listless beat. With Edward gone for two weeks, Bella didn't have much to look forward to. Her present summer job at Mathilda's Antiques Shop paid well and was hassle-free; however, the lack of customers made it quite uninteresting. Thus, Bella allowed her thoughts to drift back to last time she was over at the Cullen's house, and the last time she saw Edward.

The day had started out fine, but ended with Bella crying and blindly rushing out of the house. She groaned as she realized that she had no way of getting back home— Edward had driven her over that morning in his Volvo. But she was hard-pressed about turning back like a fool and sheepishly requesting for a ride home. She had after all rudely departed from the house without a backward glance, and much less a proper goodbye. So she continued walking, stomping her feet occasionally, along the silent and lonely road with only trees as her companions.

_Flashback_

_Idiot, idiot, idiot! I'm like some leaking water hose—why do I always have to cry at the most crucial moments?! Edward probably thinks I'm some blubbering foolish mortal girl who is incapable of controlling her emotions! Now I have to walk home in this god-forsaken fog, on this muddy road, like the idiot I— _

_Bella paused mid-rant when she heard the light humming of an engine. She whipped her head around, and saw Edward looking back at her solemnly through the window of his Volvo. Damn! Why is he here? Bella turned her head back to the road ahead of her and continued trudging her way forwards at an even faster pace. The car levelled with her and kept a steady speed. The window rolled down noiselessly and Bella heard Edward's voice pierce the silence. _

"_Bella, get in the car." Bella kept her head straight and trudged on. "Please Bella. We need to talk." When she gave no answer, Edward became mildly irritated. "Don't make me come out there and get you," he warned, impatience clearly audible in his words.__  
_

_Bella stopped abruptly and whirled around to face the car. She considered him for a moment before marching angrily to the passenger side of the vehicle and wrenching the door open. She then proceeded to slam the door as hard as she could— wincing a bit inwardly— at the force of the impact. Her face was flushed with anger, and she resumed staring stoically ahead of her, with her arms crossed against her chest. _

"_You know, the car did nothing wrong. I think you hurt its feelings."_

"_Humph. Whether I hurt its feelings or not is inconsequential because a car does not have feelings. It's an object and objects are dead things. Therefore, it does not have the intellectual ability to process emotions and determine whether I have hurt its feelings or not." Babbling was something she did often when her emotions ran wild._

_Edward chuckled. "Really? Dead things don't have feelings? Well, if my heart were still beating, it'd break at the sound of your statement."_

_Bella scowled. "You know what I mean."_

"_Of course I do, darling, of course I do."_

_Edward's right hand came up to brush a lock of Bella's hair behind her ear; a gesture as if asking if all was forgiven. The hurt and anger that welled up inside Bella melted a little, and she wondered if she could truly stay angry with Edward Cullen. Apparently not. Nonetheless, she maintained her countenance of haughtiness, and only lifted her chin in defiance at the endearing gesture. Edward got the hint, and no longer pressed the issue._

_The rest of the ride home was relatively quiet until Edward parked the Volvo in the Swan's driveway. Bella's own red truck was resting by the curb of the sidewalk. She stared at it accusingly. Since her truck wasn't present, she had to suffer a ride with her smug, prat of a boyfriend in his shiny, sleek, 'dead' (though capable of feeling hurt) car. _

_The engine of the Volvo was still running, and its soft humming pervaded the thick silence that had settled over the couple. Neither of the occupants made a move to get out. Edward was the first to speak._

"_Look. I can't make promises that I can't keep. There's a reason why I don't want to turn you, and it's a perfectly legitimate reason. And I believe that you already know what it is." The playful teasing in his voice had disappeared and was replaced with seriousness. "But I'm willing to work things out... to make them easier." _

_Bella turned to look at Edward. His statement piqued her curiosity as to what he was willing to do for their relationship._

"_How?" Bella asked._

_Edward contemplated for a while before he finally answered, "I'll tell you what's on my mind when I get back in a week or so."_

"_A week!" exploded Bella. "Where are you going for a week?!" A myriad of thoughts flurried through her head, and she immediately jumped to conclusions. **'**_**Does he want to have his space? That's it. That's how he's going to work things out. He's leaving me.' **_Deep breath._** 'Oh gosh, I think he wants to leave me!'**_ The anger and embarrassment that she had felt earlier vanished in an instant and was replaced with anxiety, as the prospect of spending a week or more without Edward was inconceivable—especially when she thought she might be losing him._

_Edward noticed the panicked expression on Bella's face and wished that he could read her mind. But, alas, that annoying blank void greeted him whenever he tried to access it._

"_I need to hunt. The game is becoming sparse since I have been feeding here for the past few months. I need to move to a location further east. Emmett and Jasper are coming with me."_

"_Oh," muttered Bella. "I see. But why can't you tell me what's on your mind now? Why wait?"_

_His mouth curved upwards in a small smile. "Impatient, are we?" By Bella's darkening expression and her exasperated sigh, he continued, "It's a surprise." His teasing tone had returned, "And also because I still need time to make the necessary preparations."_

_End Flashback_

A light jingling of bells stirred Bella out of her thoughts. She plastered a fake smile upon her face, as she got ready to greet the man who had just walked in. His gray jacket was spotted with wet patches of rain and his short brown hair was mussed. The door quickly closed behind him as he raked his long fingers through his wet locks. He then shook off any excess rain that clung to his clothes, and turned around and to give an apologetic grin to Bella.

"It's quite a downpour out there, eh?" His British accent was certainly not ordinary around Forks and brought a welcomed surprise. However what made any coherent greeting die on Bella's lips was the smiling pale face that was looking appraisingly at her. He was young and couldn't have been older than twenty. The dark brown hair that hung limply around his face provided a sharp contrast to his pale skin, and showed off his angular face and sharp cheekbones. But the true captivation lied in the bright green eyes that were staring at her behind a wet fringe of hair. The green was deep and mesmerizing. Bella felt as if she could drown in herself in those green pools, and get lost in their alluring glow. The man cleared his throat and shook back the annoying piece of hair that kept falling in front of his eyes. The sudden sound shook Bella out of the spell that she was under, and a bright red blush adorned her cheeks when she realized that she was caught staring.

"Umm, welcome to ah…Mathilda's Antiques. H-how can I he-lp you?" she asked with a stutter. If anything—her blush deepened. So, Bella ducked her head and fiddled with some of the order forms that were littered on the table in front of her, trying to present a nonchalant attitude, while desperately willing her blush to go away. A dark shadow fell upon the papers; Bella looked up and gave a shy smile. The young man smiled charmingly at her, displaying a row of straight perfect white teeth.

"Perhaps you can lend me a hand of assistance Miss…"

"Bella. My name is Bella Swan", Bella supplied.

"Ahh, Bella. Quite an apt name for a beautiful young woman like you," he said with a wink. "Andrew Remington." He held out a hand for her to shake. Bella had never felt so flustered in her life. She wondered who this charming young stranger was, and what business he had in a small town like Forks. Nevertheless, she shook his hand in a firm but gentle grasp. "Bella, I am looking for something quite in particular… have you many figurines? Perhaps one called the Trojan Horse?"

Bella scrunched her eyebrows in concentration, trying to remember if Mathilda had such a figurine. "Follow me. We usually keep our figurines together in a special section, but I can't promise you anything", she replied. They walked off to the side of the shop and stood in front of the main shelves that held some of the most precious and delicate figurines that Mathilda had amassed over the years. Bella's favourite was the one called 'Daphne.' It was an artistic rendition of the Greek myth of Apollo and Daphne, where the beautiful woman Daphne transformed into a Laurel tree to escape the amorous affections of the god Apollo. The small figurine captured the perfect moment of Daphne's transformation where her frightened face and womanly figure were still discernable among the growing leaves and branches that were emerging from her limbs. Bella always experienced a bittersweet feeling passing over her whenever she examined this work of art. Apollo's loss of love tugged at her heartstrings, while Daphne's escape gave her a sense of a fleeting freedom. This figurine also served to remind Bella of her plight to become a vampire. She related herself with Apollo, chasing after her desire that was within a finger's reach. But the only difference is that Bella would not allow her desire to escape. She traced her finger lightly down the side of one of the limbs of the figurine while she fondly reflected on the hardships and labours of love.

"Aha! At last! After so many years of searching, I have finally found it!" Bella turned to see the young man carefully reach for an inconspicuous figurine in the back of the shelf. He then reverently placed it in the palm of his hand, and stared at it almost like a loving father who had recovered his lost child. Bella looked at the figurine in the palm of his hand and realized that at her short time working at the shop, she had never noticed it before. The figurine itself was rather small, about ten centimetres in height. It was a black sculpted horse made out of fragile porcelain that seemed to be standing on a platform. Besides that, the horse was rather plain in appearance. If anything, the horse was made quite crudely—as if the artist who created it was in a hurry. Bella did not understand why anyone would want spend so many years searching for such a nondescript piece of work. The young man looked at her with shiny eyes, gleaming with triumph.

"How much is this?" he asked her. "I will pay any amount."

Bella wasn't sure of the price of this particular piece and was surprised to see that there was no price tag on it. She was about to go ask Mathilda, her boss, when the woman in question emerged from the back office, and smiled inquiringly at Bella and the young customer. "Mathilda, this gentleman would like to buy this figurine, but the price tag seems to be misplaced," Bella spoke.

Mathilda, an old woman of about sixty years of age, directed her crinkled eyes to the figurine in question. Her eyes widened slightly in recognition, but otherwise, she showed no other emotion.

"It's not for sale."

With a smile, Mathilda plucked the figurine from the man's palm and walked slowly towards her back office. The young man's face was filled with surprise, and quickly changed to that of incredulity and disbelief. Before Mathilda could even take three steps, the young man had stepped forward, grabbed her elbow, and stepped in front of her path.

All emotions of surprise and disbelief that were etched on his face earlier were gone, and were replaced by a charming smile and a determined glint that shone in the green depths of his eyes. "My good woman. Please understand that I must purchase this particular item. It is imperative that I leave your quaint little shop with it."

Mathilda was not to be deterred. "Bella. Please take this to my desk in the back office." Bella did as she was told, and noticed that the man was keenly eyeing the figurine. When Bella departed, Mathilda shook her elbow out of the man's grasp and walked calmly behind the cash registry table as the man followed.

"See here, sir. That figurine was a gift from someone dear to me, and I cannot bear parting with it. It must have been stocked into the shelves without my knowledge, and I apologize if you assumed that it was for sale."

A look of frustration then passed over the man's face. "I am ready to pay any amount necessary. I hope you understand that no amount would be a hindrance to me." To prove his point, the man reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He then withdrew five crisp bills, and placed them on the table in front of her. Mathilda could not help the gasp that escaped her mouth. Five one thousand dollar bills! This man was willing to pay five thousand dollars for a trivial little figurine. Obviously the little porcelain horse held a much greater importance to the man than Mathilda realized, seeing that such a great price was being offered for it.

But apparently, the horse also figured a great sentimental value to Mathilda because she was unwilling to accept the money. Thus, she shook her head and said, "I am deeply sorry sir. I cannot accept what you are offering."

The man was not giving up so easily. "I'll double or triple the amount. Tell me what you want for it, and I will meet your price. I mean it when I say that money is of no importance." He then took on a good-natured voice and stated, "Imagine what you can do with a bit of wealth…an early retirement, a vacation, maybe collect a few of the more rarer antiques you may have set your eyes upon." Then the man did something most peculiar—he locked his bright green eyes with Mathilda's dark blue ones, and his right hand fiddled with something in the breast pocket of his jacket. His dark eyebrows furrowed in concentration and his pupils dilated immensely. Mathilda looked confused for a moment, but then her eyes became altered and unfocused. At that moment, Bella chose to re-enter the room and the sound of the door closing with a snap broke whatever spell that had come upon the two occupants. The man cursed silently, and Mathilda looked as if she had just woken up from a dream. Her eyes refocused and she looked around the room confusedly. Bella looked between the two and wondered what had happened in her absence. Bella placed a hand on the old woman's arm in silent question, and Mathilda gripped it in reassurance.

"Bella. Please escort this young man to the door. I need a few moments to myself."

Bella moved forward, but the man angrily reached for the green bills that lay on the table in front of him and shoved them back into his wallet. Bella's jaw dropped when she briefly saw the amount on each bill. No doubt, the negotiations between the man and her boss did not go well, and she wondered why Mathilda would ever refuse such an expensive sum for a rather ugly porcelain horse.

"There will be no need for your assistance. I regret that we weren't able to come to terms madam. An unfortunate loss for you, may I be so bold as to say." His words were polite and still held charm, but his eyes told a different story. They were glinting in anger, and the humid air around him seemed to crackle with unrestrained energy. He then opened the door, and walked briskly out into the rain that was still pounding steadily outside.

Bella walked over to the window and observed the man hurry away from the shop. She wasn't sure if it was just her eyes, but it seemed as if the rain was being deflected from his figure. He had no umbrella, but his hair and jacket remained dry in the steady downpour. Bella squinted her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things, but the man had already disappeared out of sight.

A/N: Well, that's pretty much it for this chapter. So, tell me what you think. Read and review!


	4. Chapter 4: Unveiling Truths

**A/N: **I'll keep this short and sweet and save my excuses for the end of the chapter. But, sorry for the obscenely long wait (6 months!) for this chappie. Thanks to _**Twilighterin**_, who took time to look this over, and to _**Vixter**_, the most amazing person and beta ever, who took time out of her busy schedule to correct my stupid mistakes. Girl, I want to give you my first born child with Edward.

Oh, and extra kudos to Vixter for giving me the inspiration for the name of the secret society: _The Hermetic Order of the Silver Moon_.

So, without further ado, I present to you: Chapter 4!

**Last Chapter:**

Bella walked over to the window and observed the man hurry away from the shop. She wasn't sure if it was just her eyes, but it seemed as if the rain was being deflected from his figure. He had no umbrella, but his hair and jacket remained dry in the steady downpour. Bella squinted her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things, but the man had already disappeared out of sight.

**Chapter 4: Unveiling Truths**

The waxing light of the moon spilled over his skin and made it appear it translucent. A light breeze teased the ends of his trademark bronze-coloured hair that now appeared to be a darker shade under the cloak of night. But as the light breeze left and pursued a different winding path, a scent lingered in the air.

Edward closed his eyes, tilted his face upward and breathed the scent in deeply. He was on the right track. With a grim but satisfied smile, he launched himself from the high branch that he was perched on, down onto the ground ten metres below. While mid-air, his arms and legs were stretched at opposite ends, and they came together gracefully as he landed in a feline crouch. He remained in that position as he sniffed the air again, trying to discern the direction of the scent.

After a moment of indecision, Edward finally decided to go west. He sprung forward from his crouched position like a cat pouncing on its prey, and broke into a run towards the direction of _his_ prey.

OoOoO

He promised that he'd be back in a week, but it had been exactly 13 days, 4 hours, and 16 seconds since Bella last saw Edward. No phone call, email, or message from him of any kind. Bella had asked Alice every passing day to see where Edward was, but Alice seemed to be having difficulties with seeing him at all.

One afternoon, Alice simply said to Bella, "He seems to be having difficulties making up his mind about something. I keep on getting flashes of you two together, but that's what I see all the time anyways." The slight frown in her mouth was the only indication that she was confused, "There seems to be something blocking me from seeing any more."

"But Alice, can't you focus more on what he's doing in the near future? Please? Is he hurt? Is he coming home soon?" Bella questioned frantically.

Alice just gave a small tinkling laugh. "Bella, don't worry. I'm sure he's fine. Edward can take care of himself. And yes, I do see him coming home, so there's no need to fret." That seemed to conclude any more questionings from Bella… for the moment anyways.

Edward had promised to come home as soon as possible. How many days can hunting actually take? It seems unlikely that Edward can get hurt while tracking game. He was with Emmett and Jasper anyways.

A loud, booming voice suddenly erupted from the front of the house. Emmett was back. Bella jumped up from her seat in anticipation and ran down the stairs from Alice's room. She didn't register Alice calling out her name, and telling her to wait. She was anxious to see Edward's handsome face and his comforting smile again.

As Bella got to the bottom of the staircase, her heart was pounding in rapid expectation, and a light blush covered her cheeks. All she wanted to do was to jump into Edward's marble form and kiss him to bits while reprimanding him for staying away for so long. However, all she was greeted with was Emmett's huge bulking form blocking the door, and Jasper's head peeking out behind his shoulder. Bella's smile instantly faded as she realized that Edward was not there.

Emmett's grin proved that he didn't miss the play of emotions on Bella's face as he decided to tease her.

"Aww. Aren't you happy to see me Bella?" Emmett asked in mock-hurt voice. "You wound me. I am so much more handsome, funny, and tough than that skinny, brooding boyfriend of yours." Bella had the grace to give an embarrassed smile.

"However," he continued as he turned his head to his left, "I don't think Rose would be willing to share me." He let loose another round of chuckles as he walked towards the cold marble form of Rosalie, who had slipped quietly into the room and stood near the kitchen door. Although her mouth was set in a serious frown, Bella could see the left side of Rosalie's mouth quirking up into a tiny smile.

Emmett and Rosalie quickly embraced, with Emmett enveloping her completely in his big arms. They exchanged quiet words that were much too soft and quick for Bella's ears.

Bella's heart crumbled a little when she witnessed the display of affection between the two lovers. She longed to be in Edward's arms; to feel his marbled chest and his alluring coldness that soothed and comforted her. Bella wrapped her arms around her middle as sadness washed over her.

Someone gently placed their hand on her shoulder, and Bella turned around to see Alice smiling at her sympathetically. She and Jasper were holding hands, and as Jasper took a step closer to her, Bella felt a relaxing and calming feeling wash over her.

"Emmett, where is Edward?" Alice inquired. "I thought he was supposed to come back with you guys."

"He was, but Edward said that he had some 'business' to take care of. I was getting bored back there. There are only so many grizzlies you can catch before it turns into overkill, so we just left him to his affair." He then shrugged like it wasn't anything important and with his arm wrapped around Rosalie's shoulders, walked away into the kitchen.

_Business_. This reminded Bella that before Edward left, he had said something about making necessary preparations. _Preparations for wha_t

Bella looked into Alice's golden eyes and wondered if Alice knew where Edward really was, but wasn't telling her. Jasper smiled at Bella and said reassuringly, "Edward can take care of himself. It's probably nothing big anyways. Despite what Emmett says," Jasper added with a wry smile, "He is tough."

Alice gave a gentle squeeze to her shoulder, and offered an encouraging smile. Bella really wanted to believe that, but despite Jasper's soothing presence, she couldn't stop the niggling piece of doubt that squirmed its way into her mind.

OoOoO

He had run for only a couple of miles when the scent suddenly became much stronger. He was obviously still on the right track. Just as Edward became more confident in his tracking skills, he crashed into something solid and was violently thrown backwards into an old tree.

A sickening crunch echoed throughout the forest as Edward slammed through the thick trunk. The tree did nothing to stop the force of Edward's flight, as it ripped cleanly in half and was flung aside, as Edward continued his forceful trajectory and flew headlong into some brambly bushes. He continued skidding on his side through some dirt and mud until his flighty momentum abruptly ended as his shoulder banged into another tall oak tree with a solid boom.

The tree shuddered and creaked ominously with the impact. Suddenly, the tree let out a terrible noise like a gunshot, before its middle cracked and burst into splinters. The upper half of the splintered tree slowly fell forward like a mighty titan fallen in battle, and it gained speed and momentum as gravity pulled it closer to the ground.

Edward stirred when he felt sharp fragments dropping onto his head and grazing his neck and body. The unexpected impact with the tree had left him slightly fazed, but unharmed. He had barely registered his surroundings when his golden eyes suddenly caught glimpse of a free-falling mass of heavy branches and leaves heading straight toward him from above. Birds that were nesting in nearby trees were startled and took flight in a flurry of feathers and noisy squawks.

Edward quickly got up and brushed off the leaves and grass that were stuck in his hair and clothes with great annoyance. He looked up accusingly with piercing eyes, at the place where he collided with the solid object, but nothing was there. His frustration mounted into confusion as he walked forward to investigate. He suddenly bumped into something solid once again, and if it weren't for his quick reflexes, he would have landed flat on his butt.

Edward's eyebrows deepened with confusion as he looked before him. He could see the forest beyond him, but he could not get to it. It was as if an invisible barrier of some sort was preventing him from going any further. As he cocked his head to the side, he thought he saw a silvery substance before him glinting in the moonlight, but it quickly disappeared. Edward lifted his hand and placed his palm on the barrier. It was warm, and some sort of energy crackled under his fingers with his touch. Edward could feel the currents of energy flowing smoothly in different waves under his skin, and although the idea sounded incredulous, he felt as if the energy was absorbing some part of his essence, while also projecting some of its own back to him. It was like he and this insubstantial barrier were feeding off of each other. It felt strange touching something that you couldn't see. As Edward stared sceptically at the unattainable forest in front of him, it felt like magic.

Suddenly, a quiet chuckle startled Edward out of his confused fascination. His palm remained flat on the invisible barrier, but his head darted swiftly to the right. His eyes focused on a figure hidden in the dark shadows, as his nostrils sought out their scent. His taste buds tingled as they recognized the familiar aroma—_the scent of his prey_.

The figure stepped slowly into the moonlight and a petite woman was revealed. She had long, curly hair that fell in waves over her shoulder and down her back. Her face was partly obscured in darkness, but Edward could make out the small amused smile that conveyed a sense of caution and curiosity.

'_Who is this stranger, I wonder_', '_What is a pretty face doing out here alone?_' and '_I wonder what he wants_' are a few of the thoughts that flitted in rapid succession one after another in the woman's mind. As curious as the woman was with Edward's presence; Edward was just as curious with her, although he was the one who sought her out.

Her voice rang out high in the silence of the night. "Who are you and what are you doing in my domain?"

"I'm looking for Amelia DeFrye," Edward responded as he dropped his hand to his side. Although the crackle of energy was no longer flowing under his skin, his fingertips still tingled. He turned to face her, and stood absolutely still. "My sources told me that you live somewhere here in these woods."

The woman seemed taken back for a moment that the pale young man in front of her knew her identity. The amused smile had vanished, and in its place was a guarded frown. "I repeat: Who are you? And what exactly do you want?"

Edward offered a complacent smile. "My name is Edward Cullen, and I want you."

OoOoO

The living room was decorated with warm colours, and had a rustic aura about it. Amelia motioned Edward to sit in one of the comfy armchairs, which he promptly settled into.

"Would you like to have anything to drink? Water? Lemonade? Or something that is a little bit stronger?" Amelia asked in the manner of a polite hostess.

"Thank you, but I am not thirsty." _For any of those drinks anyways_, Edward added silently as an afterthought. "As I previously stated outside, I am here because I require someone of your expertise."

Amelia settled into the settee opposite Edward, and replied thoughtfully, "You mean someone who can do magic, such as a witch or a wizard." To emphasize her point she took out her wooden wand that resembled a twig in Edward's point of view, from her pocket and swished it in the air. A pitcher of lemonade appeared, complete with two glasses. She then proceeded to pour lemonade into each of the glasses, placed one in front of Edward despite his protestations of not being thirsty, and took a sip out of her own glass.

"Yes. A witch, but not just any witch. I need the best, an especially skilled and powerful one, and I heard that the best ones can be found in Salem," Edward stated matter-of-factly. "So that's why I came here in search of you."

"But how did you find me?" Amelia asked. "It requires an equally powerful witch or wizard to find my home. There are numerous protective shields and powerful enchantments that surround my residence, and no normal person can get as far as you did anyways." She gave a smirk, "At least my shield held. It would have been a blow to my pride if you were able to break through that."

Edward gave a small smile. When Amelia DeFrye had confronted him outside of her home, she had been cautious and wary. A charm that had been set to warn her of any intruders had gone off when Edward crashed into her protective shield. After Edward had declared his name and purpose of _'I want you'_, Amelia was shocked to say the very least, as she had misinterpreted his words. But when Edward had stated that he needed someone of her magical calibre, and was willing to pay any price for her services, her curiosity was piqued. It wasn't everyday that people crashed into her shields and offered her an amount of wealth in exchange for a bit of magic. So she abandoned her caution and decided to invite Edward into her home after she had performed some simple spells to discern whether he was an enemy or had any malignant intentions towards her; and he came out clean.

"I found you through a network of confidential sources, and also on pure skill. Although," Edward remarked smugly, "I'm not sure if I even noticed any of your other enchantments. The shield was the only hindrance to my finding of you." Edward surmised that the speed that he was traveling at must have been a great factor towards the lack of any other magical hindrances.

Amelia mused out loud, "But that in itself makes you quite powerful, no? Why would an equally strong wizard like you need my magical help?"

"That is where you're wrong. I do need your help," Edward countered. "You mistake me for something that I am not." At Amelia's confused look, Edward continued.

"You see, I'm a vampire."

OoOoO

Bella returned to work early the next morning to find Mathilda in a state. She was sitting at her desk in the back office, with her head in her hands and the room in disarray. Drawers were overturned and papers were strewn everywhere.

"Mathilda! What on earth happened here?" Bella rushed forward into the office and placed a consoling hand on Mathilda's shoulder.

"There's been a break-in. Nothing was stolen from the shop, but someone was obviously looking for something in my office." Mathilda let out a deep sigh. "I'm just lucky that nothing was taken."

Bella wondered who could commit such a crime in Forks. Although Mathilda's shop had nice antiques, there was nothing that was of extreme value. Still, Bella was surprised that nothing was stolen. What could they have been looking for anyway?

"Have you reported the crime yet? My father Charlie is the chief of police, and I'm sure he can help you find the culprit," Bella stated with concern. "However, I do wonder what they could have been looking for."

Mathilda dropped her hands to the desk and clasped them together. "I just got in an hour ago. I haven't made any calls yet." There was a hard edge in her voice as she said, "But I do know exactly what they were looking for, and I have a pretty good guess at who the culprit was."

"What? Who can it be?" Bella exclaimed. She couldn't think of anybody in the small town of Forks who would purposely target Mathilda.

"Remember that man, the foreigner with the accent? It was him," Mathilda stated with full confidence.

The foreigner with the accent. The British man who had charmed Bella, but also perplexed her. Bella tried to remember his name…what was it again?

"Andrew Remington?" Bella asked. "Why would he do this to you?" Nothing made sense. Why would a man passing through a small American town want to break into the back office of an antiques shop?

"Because he wanted this." Mathilda reached into her handbag near the foot of her desk and pulled out an object wrapped in old newspaper. She placed it on the desk and removed the wrapping. It was the black figurine of the Trojan Horse. The one that Bella thought was ugly, and that the Remington man wanted to pay an exorbitant sum for. Soon everything clicked and fell into place. But there was still something that made Bella wonder…

"How much is that figurine worth, I mean, if he was willing to go so far for it?" Bella inquired out loud.

"It is priceless," Mathilda answered. "A simple value cannot be placed upon this horse."

Mathilda then sat up straighter in her chair and asked Bella to shut the door, and take the seat across from her, "Bella, I trust you." Mathilda reached out and took a hold of Bella's hands. "I think it's time that I've told you something, just in case something was to happen to…"

Bella suddenly felt frantic and there was a twisting in her gut. "Wh-at d-do you mean?" Bella stuttered. "Mathilda, we'll go to Charlie right now and we'll tell him about the Remington guy, and then Charlie will arrest him." Bella made a move to get up, but Mathilda wouldn't let go of her hands, and she remained seated. "Come on! Let's go now!"

"Bella, sit down. There is nothing that Charlie can do," Mathilda said solemnly. "I only trust you."

_What?_ Bella thought confusedly. _What's happening? Why isn't Mathilda taking any action?_ Bella slowly sat back down and stared at Mathilda with wide, confused eyes.

"What do you need to tell me? Why can't Charlie help?"

Mathilda released Bella's hands and let out a slow breath. She then pushed the figurine in between them. "It's about this horse, Bella." She motioned to it with a hand. "Now what I'm going to tell you might seem strange and well…just strange. You might just have a hard time believing me." Mathilda lifted a hand to stop Bella from talking as she opened her mouth to protest.

"But," she continued, "I have this gut feeling that you will understand." Bella nodded her head to tell Mathilda to continue.

"A long time ago, people believed in the power of mysterious and precious objects that could render the individual immortal, desirable, and wealthy beyond their wildest dreams. We can attest to that, as in our history we've heard legends and stories about the Holy Grail, magic lamps, and the philosopher's stone…

"The list goes on, and there were numerous stories that people spun, about many other objects that claimed to have extraordinary mythical properties. The most gullible and desperate bought into those stories, and sometimes paid great amounts for a bauble or trinket that turned out to be a fake. Others went on grand voyages and crusades to never discover their treasure. Sometimes, lives were at stake and many paid a heavy price in search for something that could not be attained.

"But for some relics, like the Holy Grail and the philosopher's stone, enough evidence was scattered throughout our historical record that their existence was almost plausible, or for others, a fact."

Bella blinked. None of this clicked together. Why was Mathilda telling her these things? What importance did this information hold? It's not as if she was being told something she had never heard of before.

Mathilda then took hold of the figurine and placed it in Bella's palm. "This is one of the pieces of evidence that proves the existence of something much more powerful than the Holy Grail or the philosopher's stone.

"This," Mathilda pushed the figurine into Bella's hand, "will lead you to immortality, or everlasting wealth. This will lead you to something powerful enough to grant you your deepest wish and desire. This holds the answer to everything you've ever wanted to know—even the answer to the existence of life as we know it."

Bella's first reaction was to ask Mathilda if she was pulling her leg, but if she did that, it would only prove that Mathilda was right in saying that Bella would have a hard time believing her. Instead, Bella peered at the figurine in her hand and really looked at it for the first time.

The black horse was made out of porcelain and it rested on a platform. Clearly it was made to imitate the wooden horse of Homer's "The Illiad": the myth where the Greeks were able to defeat the Trojans through a clever design of a hollow wooden horse that hid a small group of Greek warriors. This horse was given as a peace offering to the Trojans to signal their surrender. Unfortunately for the Trojans, they underestimated their opponents and this lead to their demise.

As Bella brought the horse closer to her eye-level, she noticed that there was a small engraving on the horse's forehead. She couldn't make out the exact details, but it looked like a perfect circle. She lifted her eyes questioningly to Mathilda.

"Ahh. I see you've already noticed the ourobouros." Mathilda stood up and went to fetch a magnifying glass from a cabinet. She then handed it to Bella for her to inspect the circle more carefully.

Bella accepted the magnifying glass with a small sense of incredulity and examined the horse's forehead once more. Immediately, she saw what was supposed to be the "ourobouros." However, to Bella, it merely looked like a snake biting its tail.

"That is the ourobouros," stated Mathilda while peering over Bella's shoulder. "It is the symbol for immortality, which explains why the snake is eating its own tail."

Bella put the magnifying glass on the table. Mathilda went around the desk and resumed her seat. "So are you telling me that this horse," Bella motioned with her hand, "can lead me to anything…even immortality?"

"Yes," replied Mathilda. "But there are other figurines that exist as well. Five in all, and they are all marked by the symbol of the ourobouros. When combined together, they form a sort of map that gives the location of something known as the Goddess's Temple. That is the place where the magic takes place. But no individual has ever successfully obtained his or her greatest desires. The last one who tried was a man, over one hundred years ago, and he died after being faced with his deepest desire. The power of it was too great—it destroyed him."

"What was his desire?" Bella asked, riveted.

"Immortality," Mathilda answered. "At the temple, one does not simply retrieve your prize after having found the location. One must go through a set of trials to prove that they are worthy of the Goddess's gift."

"Mostly," Mathilda continued, "the purpose of these trials is to determine the individual's valour, and their sense of humility and courage."

"Now, I fear that this Remington man may be after this figurine because of what I have just told you. He is searching for the Goddess's Temple. He may have or have not found the other figurines yet, but I hope that he has not. It is important to protect these figurines at all costs. That is why I am glad that I kept the Trojan Horse in a much safer place after the man tried to buy it from me."

"I knew that he would try anything to get it after he had found its location." Mathilda suddenly looked weary for a moment and the wrinkles around her eyes seemed deeper. "I thought that the small town of Forks would be a safe place to hide the Trojan Horse. But now, that seems to no longer be the case."

"But Mathilda," interrupted Bella, "How do you know all of this? How do you know that all of this is actually _true_?"

"I know that all of this is absolutely true because I belong to a secret society named the Hermetic Order of the Silver Moon. We are a group of people who vow to protect the secrets of the goddess and to keep her gifts away from those who are greedy and evil.

"Our order has been alive for centuries, and no person has ever come close to obtaining the goddess's gift. I am a direct descendant of one of the first members of the order. The secrets have been passed down from generation to generation." With that, Mathilda took off her jacket and unbuttoned the first two buttons of her blouse. She pulled her blouse off her left shoulder and turned around.

There, right under her shoulder blade was a small black tattoo of a crescent moon. It had a thick silver lining that gleamed in the light of the office. Mathilda explained, "Every member of the order has the mark of Artemis, the goddess of hunt and of the moon. This mark in itself has magical properties and if the secret of the Goddess's Temple is to be exposed, the mark will turn pure silver. As you can see, the silver lining along the crescent is becoming thicker already. The balance has been disturbed. Things have been set into motion and they cannot be stopped."

"Magical properties? You mean that magic…exists?" Bella couldn't believe it. First vampires, and now, magic. Bella was almost willing to believe in anything now.

"Yes. Although I have not been born with the ability to perform it, magic does exist. It pervades our everyday existence. Have you never seen or experienced something that couldn't be explained?" Mathilda asked.

"Oh." Bella sat back in her chair and a great overwhelming feeling washed over her. It was just too much to take in. In just one morning (and it wasn't even lunchtime yet!), she learned that her boss was part of some secret order, protecting the secrets of a magical 'goddess temple'. And, oh yeah, that magic pervades our everyday existence. What next? That pixies lived in her garden? But the idea of becoming immortal intrigued Bella. If this temple truly existed, as Mathilda had said, then that means she'll have a different way to be with Edward forever.

"Bella. I need to ask something of you." Mathilda interrupted Bella out of her thoughts, "Now, I don't want you to feel obligated to accept, but it would be very gracious of you if you did."

"What is it that you need?" Bella wanted to know. Despite the strange tale she had just heard, she wanted to help Mathilda in any way possible—especially if Andrew Remington was after her.

"In order to protect the Trojan Horse, I need you to bring it to the headquarters of the Hermetic Order of the Silver Moon," stated Mathilda.

"And where is headquarters?" asked Bella.

Mathilda gave an apologetic smile. "Paris."

OoOoO

A vampire. Amelia DeFrye had unwittingly invited a vampire into her home. Various scenarios played out in her head, each ending with her gruesome and bloody death. Her grip on her wand tightened and she rehearsed a few protective and defensive spells in her mind, just in case she would need to use them.

"You don't have to do that," Edward looked amusingly at Amelia.

"Do what?" asked a surprised Amelia.

"Thinking about your gruesome death, or rehearse any of your defensive spells. I'm not going to attack you," answered Edward.

"You can read my mind?" Amelia was surprised. It took quite a lot of study and practice for witches and wizards to master that talent.

Edward nodded. "It's a talent I inherited when I was turned."

"How did you—" began Amelia, but Edward waved her question off.

"I'm not interested in discussing that now." Edward did not want to venture into that territory, as it was not necessary for the business at hand. Besides, that information was personal.

"Sorry, but how can I trust you?" Amelia got her defensive edge back.

"You can trust me because you've already performed all your magical spells on me before we entered your home." Edward quirked an eyebrow, "Wasn't the point of it all to see whether I was an 'enemy?' Besides," Edward continued, "I don't feed on humans. Only animals."

"Only animals?" Amelia's fear slightly vanished and was replaced with awe and curiosity. "I've never met or heard of vampires who only fed off animals instead of humans. That must require a lot of discipline and restraint." Amelia was mildly impressed.

"Not really," replied Edward. "It's still just as satisfying, however, not as tasty. And, I'm not the only one. I have six other family members who lead the same lifestyle, and there are several other clans here and there who do the same."

"Hmm," said Amelia thoughtfully as she rubbed her chin. "So, what is it that you want me to do for you?"

Edward was glad that the conversation steered back to business, "I want you to make a potion for me. The Draught of Moonshade."

Amelia blanched, "Why would you want to me to make that potion? Not only is it highly complex with rare ingredients, but one drop of it, if successfully made, can paralyse and poison any living mortal. If an antidote is not administered immediately, the person will die."

"And," continued Amelia, "I will not concoct a potion designed to kill. I am not that kind of witch."

"No need to worry." Edward smiled grimly, "The potion is intended for me."

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**A/N:** Okay. So what did you guys think? I hope this sorta makes up for the super long wait. I have no good excuses like 'my dog ate my word processor' or 'my fingers fell off, so I couldn't type'. Really. It's just that after my hectic end of semester exams, I just lazed off during the summer. I PROCRASTINATED. Yeah. So, sorry again!

Anyways, I got fantastic reviews for chapter 3!! Thank you to everyone who took their time to leave a little something. It is very much appreciated, and I love putting on a goofy grin when I open my inbox and see it flooded with such sweet comments! If I had Edward in my possession, I would share him with all of you. Seriously.

Lastly, some of you may or may not have noticed that I changed the rating for the story. It used to be rated 'M', but I decided to change it to Teen as not many hot and juicy things are happening yet. When I first wrote the story, I had planned a little bit of hot action in the first chapters, but that changed when I decided to sacrifice a little bit of sex for plot. Mind you, I'm a little bit nervous about writing about Bella and Edward's first 'romp', (as I've never written on the subject before). So maybe I'm just putting it off a bit gives nervous laugh.

So last time, people had some questions and interesting comments to share. So I decided to answer some of them…

**TurningFromTrueBeauty: ****Wow, I'm confused in a good way. At first when I saw 'green eyes' I thought Edward.. may be a possibility. Anyhow, ignore my stupid ramblings (hehe) Update soon!**

**Ans:** As much as it would have been nice for it to be Edward, it (unfortunately) wasn't. Andrew Remington is a real character, and he's not as charming as he may seem…

**EdwardFangJasperEmmettIggysigh: ****o, edward wants to have SEX! muhahahaah...moreness plz!**

**Ans:** Lol. Yes, he does. And he'll want to make it good, too. But, I'm not sure when that hot stuff is gonna happen. All I know is that _it is going to happen_. All of that sexual tension between Bella and Edward is bound to explode into wonderful sparkly diamonds!

**treeofknowledge1: ****I'm a bit confused. The story's not over, right? It's listed as "complete," but I guess it's not. This Remington guy is suspicious. At first I thought he was Eduardo with contacts, pretending to be human for Bella to surprise her, but I guess he's not. His behavior was so bizarre. I'll be sure to check up on this story, it's good.**

**Ans:** Sorry for the confusion. The story is definitely NOT over. I don't know why FFnet would list it as so. And yes, you're right to be suspicious about the Remington dude. He's not what we really make him out to be. Again, it would have been nice if it was really Edward in contacts, but then that would make a boring story.

**het2468: ****oo! this is interesting. i bet the man is a vampire! please update soon, i really want to see what happens next**

**and**

**MusicRoxs: WOW realy nice write more please! Who is dat man? like is he vampire why does he want the horse please write more soon!!**

**Ans:** Hmm. There seems to quite a bit of speculation over the "species" of this man. He is a man, but not a regular human-kind-of-guy. As for a vampire, well, I've given quite strong hints in this chapter as to what he might, or might not be…Hopefully this chapter was enough to figure out what he is.

**LoveCantFindMe: ****who is it? Who is it? WHO IS IT?? what will happen? will Edward get back in time in case there is anymore trouble for Bella?? Will Edward change her when he gets back?? wow this is really good please continue, i wonder what this green-eyed vampire has to do with anything! it's such a good change from the usual Victoria thing haha keep going!!**

**Ans** Again, the stranger dude is not a vampire. As to your questions of who he is, well, let's just say that we'll see more of him in upcoming chapters. I mean, we know for sure that he's after the figurines because he wants the big jackpot at the end of it. And as a little tidbit, he's devoted most of his life to this whole quest of finding them.

Now, will Edward get back in time to save Bella from her proneness to accidents and causing trouble? Yes. However, in chapter 5, Bella won't be needing much saving (at least that's what my outline is saying, but it can change at anytime). And will Edward change her when he gets back? No. I feel that this whole Bella-turning-into-vampire thing is quite a pivotal experience. It'll be an important aspect of the story, and I don't want to rush into it. Anyways, that's after I decide whether Edward should turn her or not. I mean, there's no turning back, after Bella becomes a vampire. If she suddenly changes her mind, she can't be human anymore, no matter how hard she wishes. And that's what Edward is trying to get through to her. Bella just needs to listen and understand the consequences.

And thanks again for leaving good questions, and nice comments. I'm also glad that this story is not turning into the usual Victoria thing. I just wanted to write something fresh, and **not** do another remake of the same theme over and over again. There's just too many stories where Bella turns into a vampire, or where Victoria comes back for revenge…a little more diversity wouldn't hurt. :)

**ouiplanete: ****THIS IS VERY VERY INTERESTING! i wonder where you are going w/this stranger and the figurine... love it:-D**

**Ans:** Thank you! I'll tell you where this is going—onto a great big adventure! I'm a sucker for stories with adventure and action, and hopefully, I'll be able to convey and incorporate my enthusiasm for it into upcoming chapters!

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Yeah, so I think that it would be pretty much futile to tell you to review, as that message should be glaringly obvious. (REVIEW, please!) Also, I've posted a new short story (that is complete) titled: **"The Lone Wolf"**. It's Leah/Sam and Sam/Emily. If anyone is interested, hop on over and tell me what you think! Thanks again!

Oh, and one last tiny note…I'm presently participating in Nanowrimo—which means I'll have to write a 50,000 word novel by the end of November. Hence, I don't know when chapter 5 of OT will be up; just a heads up to those of you who might be wondering why I'm not updating this month.


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